OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton softball junior Becca Changstrom earned 2013 Capital One Academic All-District VII First Team honors as voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the organization announced Thursday.

Changstrom received recognition for hard work both on the field and in the classroom. The Academic All-District honor is the first for the Changstrom.

As a First Team All-District member Changstrom will be placed on a national ballot for a chance to be recognized as an Academic All-America selection while competing against student-athletes from across the country.

The Lincoln, Neb., native has put together a career year in the circle for the Bluejays in 2013. As a result, Changstrom claimed Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Pitcher of the Week laurels four times and won three MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors this season.

On April 21, Changstrom became just the third Bluejay in program history to record 200 strikeouts in a single season. She joined former Creighton aces Tammy Nielsen and Tara Oltman in the exclusive club.

After fanning eight Drake batters on Tuesday, Changstrom boasts 231 K’s this year. That total ranks No. 7 all-time in the CU record books for a single season. She needs 31 more strikeouts to take over sixth place.

Remarkably, her total of 231 strikeouts this year is more than seven of the Valley’s pitching staff team totals for K’s and just shy of staff totals by Drake (232) and Bradley (233) in 2013.

The reliable right-hander struck out 23 Southern Illinois batters on April 20-21 with a pair of double-digit strikeout performances. After recording a dozen K's in game one versus SIU and 11 more in game three she increased her season total of double-digit strikeout efforts to 11 this season to lead the Valley.

The rest of the league owns just seven games total with 10 or more strikeouts. No other MVC pitcher can claim more than three such efforts in 2013.

Changstrom’s average of 9.0 strikeouts per seven innings stands at No. 21 in the NCAA while her season strikeout total ranks No. 23 nationally. Changstrom’s total of six shutouts in 2013 is tied for No. 31 in the country. The hurler’s total of 20 victories ranks No. 38 in the NCAA while her ERA rates No. 47 nationally.

Changstrom carries a 3.85 grade point average in chemistry.

The last time a Bluejay earned an Academic All-District First Team selection was in 2010 when Oltman earned the accolade. She went on to claim her third CoSIDA Academic All-America honor that season as a senior, one of nine Academic All-America selections in Creighton softball history.

Changstrom and the Bluejays host Wichita State this weekend in a three-game set that concludes the CU regular-season schedule. The series begins with a doubleheader slated for noon on Saturday.

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